Acute & Chronic Pain

Pain is a signal from the central nervous system indicating something is wrong. Pain can be differentiated in a number of different ways. It can be differentiated by how long it has been taking place: acute pain versus chronic pain.

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Acute pain is sudden and is due to something specific, like broken bones or surgery. The duration of acute pain is fixed. Acute pain dissipates once the underlying cause has been resolved

Chronic pain is ongoing and may last for years or indefinitely. Chronic pain may not respond to treatments and may outlast injuries that have already healed. Despite achieving a full recovery from an injury or condition, with chronic pain can becomes the ailment. In a minority of causes, there is no identifiable cause for the chronic pain.